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Lot Essay
The present bowl shares many design features with a group of bowls excavated at Nishapur (Charles K. Wilkinson, Nishapur Pottery of the Early Islamic Period, New York, 1973, nos.49-51, pp.193 and pls.pp.203-4). The use of the same two colours in the decoration, the lighter colour being used as a filler in areas of the darker, is common to all. The body of the present bowl is however the very fine yellow-white material that is typical of Basra and not at all of Nishapur, where the comparison pieces are all noted as having a red body. The body here makes it certain that it is not a product of Nishapur; it probably represents the Abbasid original on which the Nishapur potters based their designs.
A very similar bowl was sold recently at Sotheby's (30 April 2003, lot 56). Unfortunately the colour of the clay was not noted in the catalogue description. It was attributed to Nishapur but in drawing and size was even closer to the present bowl than those published by Wilkinson.
A very similar bowl was sold recently at Sotheby's (30 April 2003, lot 56). Unfortunately the colour of the clay was not noted in the catalogue description. It was attributed to Nishapur but in drawing and size was even closer to the present bowl than those published by Wilkinson.